Mermaid Beach, QLD
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Tweed Heads, QLD
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Mermaid Beach, QLD
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Southport, QLD
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So, you ate your weight in ham and turkey and consumed Rosé all day over the holidays and used January and February as a bit of a ‘getting back into routine’ period, so it’s no doubt you would of packed on some of those inevitable holiday calories.

If you still want to go out and have all the fun this beach season, minus the crazy kilojoules, we suggest you check out our list of the best healthy cafes on the Gold Coast to get yourself back on track after the madness and magic of the silly season.

Cardamom Pod

Southport

Stop by any one of the Cardamon Pods (Broadbeach, Southport & Byron) and you can expect to be nourished by nature. The team were the head chefs in the famous Govindas’ group of restaurants in Sydney and also started the popular Byron Bay Bliss Balls, so their passion is paramount in helping people to become healthy and happy. The Mermaid Ocean Bowl is seriously stuff dreams are made of; a blend of mangoes, maca powder, almond butter and coconut milk and gets its ocean-inspired colour from blue spirulina. Who knew?! Topped with a rainbow of fresh fruit, gluten free granola, chia pudding and vegan meringues; it’s worth it just for the ‘gram, #amiright?

BSKT

Mermaid Beach

Srsly… If you haven’t been to BSKT yet, what’s wrong with you?! EVERYTHANG on their menu is exceptional. Take your friend who’s gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, grain free (we could go on) as there is something that everyone with a complex diet can eat. Our picks are the BSKT Poke Bowl, the Superfood Salad and the Krab Tacos. You also need a side of sweet potato fries and, for dessert, go no further than their very own Coco Whip with the all new flavour; Acai Whip. The O.G healthy soft serve packed with probiotics. Whip it real good and serve us some of that, stat! We’d go as far as saying, this is the healthiest cafe on the Gold Coast.

Joy Beans

Burleigh Waters

Inspired by their recent travels and the desire to help communities in need, Ben and Patty decided while in Mexico to bring the experience of Single Origin Coffee back to us; all grown, sourced and roasted with nothing but love. How lucky are we! You can be assured, as you sip on your morning cup of joe, that the farmers and workers who grew your organic coffee beans are as happy as you, because they are proud supporters of Fair Trade Australia and Australian Certified Organic. If you are feeling a bit peckish, Joy Beans cafe also has a range of gourmet toast options from smashed avo, to hummus and mushroom toppings. Let’s be honest, it always tastes better when someone else makes your toast in the morning. If sweet is more your style, then there are raw treats, vegan ice cream and a thing called butterbings. All healthy if in moderation, right?

Niche & Co.

Tugun

Popular cafe spot Niche & Co. just keeps on getting better, with a fresh update to the walls with a splash of pink paint and pretty palms as well as a new seasonal menu on offer. This cute af cafe has all the superfoods sprinkled throughout every single dish. You will find beetroot smash on sourdough, poke bowls, haloumi burgers and vegan burritos, to name a few. The salted caramel acai bowl should not be a special, but added to the menu FOREVER, it’s that good. Okay, okay we know we should probably go for the green bowl, anything green is good, right? #Itsyournichetoo so get on down and get tasting and tagging ‘cause if it’s good enough for Sally Fitzgibbons (FYI she is the epitome of health) then it’s good enough for us. If you’re looking for one of the best cafes on the Gold Coast, well, you’ve found it!

Mandala & Co.

Mermaid Beach

A one-stop shop for arts, beats and eats with a full blown plant-based menu on offer, Mandala & Co. is created and run by a collective of family and friends who love to share their passion for fresh food in a setting that feels like home. With options like fresh rice paper rolls, vege-packed stirfrys, green salads and raw pad thai, you will feel like you did your body a good deed just with one meal. Don’t know what to order? Head there on a Cheeky Tuesday and pay just $28 for all-you-can-eat pizza; made in-house and completely vegan with cashew cheese. Yes, please! It’s a place that will persuade even your meat-eating mates that plant-based is delicious and so nutritious.

Sozo Square

Tweed Heads

At this little health hub nestled in the heart of Tweed, vegan food takes the main stage with every single ingredient sourced locally and added to the menu to tingle your senses. The menu is vast and includes favourites such as nachos and pasta but with a vegan twist, pancakes and waffle sandwiches and an array of epic elixirs to wash it all down with. Also, each week there are two different acai bowl flavours to choose from that come loaded with raw desserts, house made granola and fresh fruit from farms nearby. Sozo Square wants to promote health and happiness in every sense of the word and so also offer cooking workshops, free group fitness sessions on a Monday morning, wellness programs, artist launches and an epic array of good-for-you food. One of the best healthy cafes on the Gold Coast, Sozo Square has got you covered, southerners!

Real Food Kitchen

Burleigh

You can get any trending health food from this Paleo-based cafe, including bullet proof coffee, a takeaway cup of hot bone broth, nitrate free bacon (who knew bacon even had nitrogen in it), raw meals, burgers and veggie bowls. All made from a kitchen that doesn’t have refined sugar OR gluten and dairy anywhere in sight. Their philosophy is J.E.R.F …Just Eat Real Food. It’s kind of that simple, fuel your body with the right stuff, and you’ll wonder why you ever did otherwise. There are also lots of cookbooks, spices, sauces, oil, snacks and skincare available for purchase, to take the healthy vibes into your home. Open for breakfast and lunch daily with live music on Sundays from 2pm, prepare to stay a while to rest, rejuvenate and refuel with real food under the frangipani trees in good ol’ Burleigh. Is Real Food Kitchen one of the best healthy cafes on the Gold Coast? You betcha!

Pokè Pokè

Mermaid Beach

Okey dokey it’s definitely time for pokè! If you’re after a nutritionally balanced and flippin’ tasty meal, then Pokè Pokè is for you. The brainchild of Bonita Bonita and Bon Bon bar's Morgan Walsh, this tropical eatery is inspired by the fresh flavours of Hawaii and the Caribbean, giving you all the holiday feels without stepping foot on a plane. Specialising in the traditional pokè which is Hawaiian-style raw tuna, there are also bowls packed with salmon, coconut snapper, salt ‘n’ pepper calamari, lemongrass grilled chicken and options for those plant-based peeps, too. For brekkie you can choose from one of their many smoothie bowls and we can’t get enough of the Tumeke Bowl (that’s “too much” in Kiwi speak); mango, turmeric, banana, coconut and almond milk topped with strawberries, granola, cacao nibs and yoghurt clusters.

Pier B Cafe

Hope Island

A new addition to the Sanctuary Cove Marine Village is Pier B; a whole food, health conscious cafe that has copious amounts of raw, vegan and GF options. There is even a gluten-free brekkie bagel, and GF unicorn rainbow coloured cupcakes…. coeliacs can now rejoice. A crowd pleaser is their signature Snickers bowl topped with a few of our favourite things; strawberries, banana, chia seeds, coconut and a very simple, delicious and nutritious granola. You can even take home your very own jar of the good stuff, but it won’t be in the pantry for very long, trust us. Serving up Allpress Espresso and raw slices that are made in house with none of the naughtiness, it’s worth the Sunday drive, even if you are from the salty southern end of the GC.

Blendlove

Southport

Southport's Blendlove has mastered the art of turning wholesome ingredients into mouth-watering, all-natural desserts. This is soul food at its finest. Take away a gorgeous gift pack of delicate raw delights, for a present, or yourself, or hang out with the divine staff over coffee, a spot of nourishing lunch, or a healthy spin on breakfast to start the day right. Hands down one of the best healthy cafes on the Gold Coast's northern end; you're in good company at Blendlove.

Meraki Wholefood Kitchen

Chirn Park

The serious health-conscious, gym bunnies, and calorie counters among us can rejoice ‘cause Meraki Wholefood Kitchen label nutritional information in each dish on their healthy and hearty menu. The Matcha Mess Pancakes are damn good and are vegan and refined sugar free, making it easy to fit into your Macros! They even offer gluten free and dairy free pizzas… say whaaaat. The portions will fill you right up and the staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating for any dietary needs and preferences. You can’t leave without taking one of their raw treats for the ride home; and if a sugar-free someone has a special day coming up, you can order a raw cake! From Neopolitan to salted caramel and chocolate marble, all made in house with quality wholesome ingredients allowing for the ultimate indulgence, minus the guilts. Yet another top healthy cafe on the Gold Coast.

Worked your way through the best healthy cafes on the Gold Coast? Reward yourself with a nature hike!

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By Cayleh Ferguson

Cayleh likes palm trees and tropical flowers. She's a pisces, a creative and a dreamer. A collector of books, bikinis and shells, lover of the sea and herbal teas. Leaving footprints around the world is high on her to-do list. She likes to think she is a pretty hot home baker, enjoys putting pen to paper and being behind the lens, all the while living out her dream marketing job with Billabong. Find her picturesque lifestyle at www.foreverdreamcatching.com and
@caylehmaree